Something exciting is growing at Tarn House Holiday Park near Skipton in 2026 as new Head Gardener Conrad Bunday plans to transform the popular Partington’s holiday park into a glorious green space of sustainability and wildlife wellbeing.
Conrad came to work for the Lancashire-based family business in September 2025 with a mission to build a deeper connection between all their holiday parks and the natural world, and he’s already well on the way with his vision to create more natural habitats across the park to encourage and increase local wildlife, and provide safe spaces for endangered local species – such as UK lizards and slow worms.
Conrad, 30, is originally from Hythe in the New Forest and feels his career path into horticulture was almost destined: “I learned to love gardening from my father. He has been working with the land all his life and has passed down not just his many practical skills, but also his deep respect for nature and the importance of protecting the natural world in all its forms.”
That early grounding has shaped Conrad’s working philosophy ever since, and after tending gardens across the country, he is now firmly putting down leadership roots at Partington’s Holiday Parks across the Yorkshire Dales, Lancashire and the Lake District to preserve habitats, encourage biodiversity and ensure that all their green spaces don’t just coexist with nature, they actively support it.
For Tarn House Holiday Park this means introducing new hedgehog houses, building lots of bug hotels, increasing the level of wild planting and providing lots more insect coverage to increase the biodiversity and endangered animal species in the area.
“For me, horticulture has never just been about keeping spaces neat and attractive, it’s about creating environments where wildlife can flourish and where people can reconnect with nature in a meaningful way, “says Conrad.
“Tarn House is such a special setting for a project like this because we are surrounded by beautiful countryside and already have an incredible natural foundation to build upon.
“The goal now is to work with the landscape rather than against it and create a park that actively supports biodiversity at every level, from insects and birds right through to small mammals and reptiles.
“What’s been especially inspiring is the knowledge and enthusiasm within the team itself. Everyone at Partington’s – from the CEOs to our whole team of gardeners – genuinely cares about conservation and protecting the environment, and together we’re constantly sharing ideas and learning more about the local flora and fauna around us. There’s a real sense of excitement about what we can achieve here over the next few years.”
Conrad and his busy team of seven are also looking at creating further sustainability at the other Partington’s parks with plans to enhance the natural environment at each site – including growing wildflower turfs and introducing a wetland mix to bind the land together and make the area much more eco-friendly for birds, animals and insects at Windy Harbour in Lancashire; a bold vision to turn Newton Hall Holiday Park near Blackpool into a completely edible landscape with a thriving kitchen garden that will supply fresh, seasonal produce directly to its popular dining spot Café at Walterz, and increasing the diversity of all the colourful plants and bulbs at Black Beck in the Lake District for this year’s Cumbria in Bloom submission.
The next generation are also being inspired to get involved with nature with plans for little visitors to each park being able to plant seeds during their stay and receive updates as their plants grow, with the hope it will spark a lifelong appreciation for green spaces and the environment.
With Conrad Bunday at the helm, the future of Partington’s Holiday Parks is looking greener, richer and far more engaging for all.
Partington’s Holiday Parks – sustainability and community growing side by side.
